Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhypwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Fidahhypwhi’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; large decorative inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Fidahhypwhi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidahhypwhi’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Dahlia cultivars that have a freely branching and flowering habit, attractive ray floret coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Hillegom, The Netherlands of an unnamed selection of Dahlia hybrida, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidahhypwhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidahhypwhi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large decorative inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in ray floret coloration and plant shape.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia hybrida ‘Gallery Art Fair’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pa. No. 11,356. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘Gallery Art Fair’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Gallery Art Fair’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Dahlia were white in         color whereas inflorescences of plants of ‘Gallery Art Fair’         were white with yellow green-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidahhypwhi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands during the late summer and autumn and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were about 10 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘Fidahhypwhi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 days             at temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; tuber development has not             been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounded plant form; broad inverted triangle;             freely basal branching with about five primary branches each             with numerous secondary branches and inflorescences held             above the foliage on strong peduncles; bushy and dense             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Aspect: Erect to             somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or             compound with three or five leaflets.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Senate.         -   Leaf length.—About 17 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 10 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 9 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A to 138B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;             venation, close to 143D. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 138C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance/arrangement.—Rotate decorative inflorescence form             with ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliage on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit, about 20 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from late spring             through the autumn in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about seven to eight weeks after planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 9.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 3 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Aspect:             Initially upright to eventually roughly perpendicular to the             peduncle. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to N155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to N155D.         -   Disc florets.—None observed.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About eight arranged             in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to             144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Aspect: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per floret: About             ten. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             158B. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to 163B. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Not observed.             Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahhypwhi’ as illustrated and described. 